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Enzymatic modification of woody cell walls for improved stability of pulp fibres

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010.

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Other Authors: Wolfaardt, J.F.
Format: Thesis
Published: University of Pretoria 2013
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Wolfaardt, J.F.
author_browse Wolfaardt, J.F.
author_facet Wolfaardt, J.F.
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2010 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria
description Dissertation (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/28516
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:38:48.199Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2013
publishDateRange 2013
publishDateSort 2013
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/28516 Enzymatic modification of woody cell walls for improved stability of pulp fibres Wolfaardt, J.F. Wesley-Smith, James grethe.strey@gmail.com Strey, Elsie Grethe Pulp fibres Paper Cell-wall swelling Fibre puffing UCTD Dissertation (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. The bonding of fibres in paper is influenced by environmental changes (e.g. moisture) that may cause unstable fibres to move. These movements include cell-wall swelling, fibre lifting and/or puffing that break inter-fibre bonds and lead to reduced strength and surface roughness. Fibre puffing is defined as the expansion of the lumen area as result of changes in the environment. Puffing was investigated through image analysis of scanning electron micrographs. Detailed images were obtained with samples that were embedded in resin and then etched. Puffing of fibres was then quantified by calculating the ratio of lumen area to fibre area. Stability of softwood and hardwood fibres was studied in this way, and to simulate printing, handsheets were calendered and rewetted. This method was later validated against commercial sheets. Compared to softwood, hardwood fibres were more stable and most of the handsheet properties were retained after rewetting. Mannanase and/or endoglucanase treatments resulted in improved fibre stability by increasing fibre bonding, fibrillation or fibre collapse. Mannanase improved handsheet smoothness and strength as well as fibre stability, but endoglucanase was less effective. The effect of the enzymes was more difficult to observe on hardwood fibres, because even untreated fibres were more stable under moist conditions. Thin-walled fibres such as earlywood were less stable than latewood fibres, but it responded better to mannanase treatment. Thick-walled fibres (latewood), on the other hand, were more difficult to improve with enzymes. The potential of enzymes to improve fibre stability of commercial pulp was tested on chemi-thermo-mechanical pulp (CTMP) and bleached CTMP. Enzyme treatment improved fibrillation and reduced beating energy of bleached CTMP. Mannanase again resulted in the most improved fibre stability. On rejects, a lack of response to enzymes was overcome by pre-treating the pulp with alkaline peroxide. This study provided new insights into the stability of fibres with different morphology. It was also demonstrated that fibre stability can be improved with enzyme treatment and it is expected that this knowledge could have significant commercial value. Microbiology and Plant Pathology unrestricted 2013-09-07T13:40:04Z 2010-10-07 2013-09-07T13:40:04Z 2010-04-28 2010-10-07 2010-10-07 Dissertation Strey, EG 2010, Enzymatic modification of woody cell walls for improved stability of pulp fibres, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/28516 > D10/383/gm http://hdl.handle.net/2263/28516 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10072010-142124/ © 2010 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Pulp fibres
Paper
Cell-wall swelling
Fibre puffing
UCTD
Enzymatic modification of woody cell walls for improved stability of pulp fibres
title Enzymatic modification of woody cell walls for improved stability of pulp fibres
title_full Enzymatic modification of woody cell walls for improved stability of pulp fibres
title_fullStr Enzymatic modification of woody cell walls for improved stability of pulp fibres
title_full_unstemmed Enzymatic modification of woody cell walls for improved stability of pulp fibres
title_short Enzymatic modification of woody cell walls for improved stability of pulp fibres
title_sort enzymatic modification of woody cell walls for improved stability of pulp fibres
topic Pulp fibres
Paper
Cell-wall swelling
Fibre puffing
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/28516
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-10072010-142124/